Christian Group Booted From Michigan University

The University of Michigan has booted an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship group off campus for refusing to knuckle under to the college's non-discrimination policy.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, one of the nation's oldest and most respected campus-based Christian ministries, said in early February that the University of Michigan has booted its Asian InterVarsity chapter off campus after the student outreach refused to drop its biblically based requirements for leadership.

As is happening at an increasing number of universities across America, the University of Michigan has instituted a non-discrimination policy that often requires Christian groups to compromise on such issues as the sinfulness of homosexuality, same-sex relationships, and even the fundamentals of Christian faith.

According to Fox News, last December leaders of the Asian group, one of 10 InterVarsity groups on the Michigan campus, “were summoned before university officials who told them there was an issue with the section of the club constitution related to leadership. In order for students to be InterVarsity leaders they must sign a statement of faith. But the university said that requirement violated their non-discrimination policy.”

Sara Chang, one of the group's leaders, said that instead of revising the group's constitution to fall in line with the university's non-discrimination requirements, the club decided to stand firm in their Christian convictions. “For us, there’s no other option than to hold to the tenets of our faith,” Chang told Fox News. “We want to model a lifestyle of integrity. Holding the Bible as the inspired, divine word of God and seeing the commands for us to choose leaders who have a vibrant faith in Jesus — is obviously something very important that we want to continue to uphold.”

The decision by the Christian leaders to stand by their faith prompted university officials to take away the Christian group's official recognition, forcing the group to relocate off campus.

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